Altaeros Energies
Altaeros Energies develops autonomous tethered aerostats for government defense and commercial connectivity applications, anchored by its proprietary Aerostat Autopilot control system and a $99M DHS/CBP contract supporting border security and rural telecommunications deployments.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Altaeros Energies does
Altaeros Energies is a 2010 MIT spinout headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, that designs and manufactures autonomous tethered aerostats—lighter-than-air helium-filled aerial platforms connected to the ground via a proprietary three-tether architecture—for government defense and commercial connectivity customers. The company's core technology is the Aerostat Autopilot, a proprietary autonomous control system with three layers (Automated Dispatch Control, AI Flight Director, and Actuator Control) that enables fully crewless launch, recovery, and flight management, eliminating the 4-10 trained personnel historically required for 24/7 manned aerostat operations and reducing operational costs by up to 70%. The product line spans the ST-Flex and ST-Flex+ (portable commercial/tactical platforms carrying 132-200 lbs to 1,000 ft AGL), the ST-Flex Guardian Class (military-grade variant with GPS hardening, ATTLA certification, and enhanced encryption), the newly launched ST-400 (carrying 900+ lbs to 2,500+ ft AGL for long-duration multi-mission applications), and the legacy ST-200 SuperTower, all featuring a modular payload bay supporting interchangeable LTE/5G radios, ISR sensors, radar, EO/IR cameras, MANET communications, and secure edge computing.
The business model combines one-time hardware sales with multi-year managed service contracts, custom payload integration, and bespoke aerostat development, with quote-based enterprise pricing and no public disclosure. The customer base is anchored by a 5-year, $99 million ID/IQ contract with DHS/CBP for border security aerostats (awarded October 2023, renewed for year two in October 2025), supplemented by defense customers including the DoD, US Army 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force, and Indiana National Guard, alongside commercial telecom partnerships with SoftBank (Japan), World Mobile (Africa), and Ericsson (4G/5G radios), plus industrial customers in mining and event connectivity. The company operates from a US R&D and manufacturing facility in Fremont, New Hampshire, and a UK manufacturing subsidiary (Altaeros UK Ltd.) in Wrexham, Wales, established in December 2024. Investors include SoftBank Group (lead), Safar Partners, SKK, SPARX, IQT, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Suhail Bahwan Group, with total disclosed funding of approximately $50 million across multiple rounds.
Altaeros Energies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Altaeros Energies
- Legal name
- Altaeros Energies, Inc.
- Website
- https://altaeros.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Altaeros Energies develops autonomous tethered aerostats for government defense and commercial connectivity applications, anchored by its proprietary Aerostat Autopilot control system and a $99M DHS/CBP contract supporting border security and rural telecommunications deployments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Altaeros Energies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Autonomous Aerostat / Aerial Surveillance and Communications Platforms
- NAICS
- Aircraft Manufacturing (336411)
- SIC
- Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)
- akta.pro primary industry
- VTOL & Hybrid UAV Platforms (IMABAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Flight Control Computers & Autopilot Systems (IMABAFAA)
Keywords
Where Altaeros Energies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Altaeros Energies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Aerostat Hardware Sales: Sale of autonomous aerostat platforms including ST-Flex, ST-Flex Guardian Class, and ST-400 models. Customers include government agencies and commercial enterprises who purchase the aerostat systems outright.
- Government Service Contracts: Ongoing support, service, and sparing contracts for government aerostat deployments, including the DHS/CBP ID/IQ contract for border security operations. Includes field support, maintenance, and operational services.
- Payload Integration Services: Custom payload specification and turnkey solutions where Altaeros team works with customers on integrated aerostat and payload solutions tailored to specific mission requirements.
- Custom Aerostat Development: Customized autonomous aerostat platform development for applications requiring unique or specific features, leveraging cutting-edge autonomous aerostat technology to meet exact customer requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based enterprise pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Altaeros Energies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Altaeros designs, manufactures, and sells autonomous tethered aerostats (lighter-than-air aerial platforms) for government and commercial customers, with the Aerostat Autopilot proprietary control system enabling fully crewless launch, recovery, and flight operations. Product lines include the ST-Flex/ST-Flex+ (commercial and tactical), ST-Flex Guardian Class (military/government), ST-400 (large heavy-payload platform), and the legacy ST-200 SuperTower, plus payload integration, field support, and custom aerostat development services.
Product overview
Altaeros Energies is a technology company that designs, manufactures, and operates autonomous aerostats (lighter-than-air tethered aerial platforms) for commercial and government customers. The product portfolio is anchored by the proprietary Aerostat Autopilot autonomous control system, which enables fully crewless launch, recovery, and flight operations across the entire aerostat lineup. The current product family comprises the ST-Flex (portable tactical aerostat for commercial and government use, with a Guardian Class military variant), the ST-400 (larger platform carrying 900+ lbs to 2,500+ ft AGL for multi-mission government applications), and the legacy ST-200 SuperTower (original commercial aerial cell tower). Altaeros differentiates through a modular payload bay architecture that supports interchangeable payloads including LTE/5G radios, ISR sensors, radar (IMSAR), EO/IR cameras (L3Harris WESCAM, Trillium), MANET communications radios (Silvus), and secure edge computing (CenCore), allowing a single platform to serve roles ranging from rural connectivity and disaster response to border security and military ISR. The company also operates Altaeros UK Ltd. for aerostat manufacturing and rugged inflatable structure production.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Aerostat Autopilot: Proprietary autonomous control system for tethered aerostats that eliminates the need for a traditional ground crew to perform day-to-day operations including launch, landing, and flight management.
- SuperTower
Products and services
- ST-Flex Autonomous Aerostat Portable, rapidly deployable autonomous aerostat providing up to 25 mi (40 km) coverage radius; carries up to 132 lbs (60 kg) of modular payload to 1,000 ft AGL for weeks at a time; towable on-road/off-road and set up in less than a day; targets mobile networks, disaster response, mining/industrial IoT, and aerial advertising.
- ST-Flex Guardian Class Autonomous Aerostat Military-grade variant of the ST-Flex with GPS hardening, ATTLA certification, enhanced encryption, and government-specific features; supports ISR, radar, EO/IR, SIGINT, cUAS, MANET radios, communications relay, and 4G/5G payloads for border security, military operations, port security, and emergency response missions.
- ST-400 Autonomous Aerostat Large autonomous aerostat carrying over 900 lbs (408 kg) of mission-critical payloads to altitudes exceeding 2,500 ft AGL; enhanced rugged design for long-duration deployments in challenging environments; quick-connect rail system for fast payload integration; built-in Aerostat Autopilot for fully autonomous operations.
- Aerostat Autopilot Autonomous Control System Proprietary autonomous control system for tethered aerostats that automates launch, recovery, and day-to-day flight operations through intelligent decision-making, real-time closed-loop control, and actuator management — included as a standard capability on all Altaeros aerostats.
- Payload Integration & Turnkey Solutions Custom payload integration service in which Altaeros' engineering team works with customers on bespoke payload specifications or delivers turnkey aerostat-plus-payload solutions leveraging modular payload bays (LTE, 5G, IoT, radar, EO/IR, MANET radios).
- Aerostat Field Support and Service Customizable field support, maintenance, and sparing service plans for all Altaeros aerostats, tailored to specific mission needs and objectives.
- Custom Aerostat Development Bespoke aerostat design and manufacturing service for applications requiring unique or specific features; Altaeros' design and manufacturing teams create customized autonomous aerostat platforms built on the company's autonomous aerostat technology.
- Rugged Inflatable Structures (hangars, shelters, custom inflatables) Manufactured by Altaeros UK Ltd. — rugged inflatable structures including hangars, shelters, and custom inflatables for agriculture, automotive, healthcare, construction, manufacturing, and military applications, produced alongside Altaeros aerostats at the Wrexham facility.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 95% uptime in government deployments with no daily on-site crew needed
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Altaeros Energies
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Altaeros Energies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability5 records
Feature5 records
Altaeros Energies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship, core and supporting.
- Let's Go RacingminorMotorsport marketing partnership to enhance team operations, brand engagement, and fan connectivity in motorsport through aerial advertising and connectivity solutions.
- SoftBank Corp.flagshipStrategic partnership to launch world's first autonomous aerostat. SoftBank completed initial testing of Altaeros' ST-Flex at Hokkaido Spaceport, Japan in June 2022. SoftBank provides base station systems with proprietary cylindrical antenna technology for aerial telecommunications trials.
- World MobileflagshipPartnership to deploy aerostats in Africa to connect unconnected populations. Two or three aerostats launched in Zanzibar anchoring World Mobile's Dynamic Network, with plans to deploy thousands across the continent to serve hundreds of millions of subscribers.
- EricssoncoreRadio technology partnership. Ericsson provides 4G LTE radios and 5G-ready high-performance radio systems with MIMO capability for SuperTower aerial cell tower applications. Partnership enables rural connectivity deployments using innovative aerial infrastructure.
- IMSARcoreRadar provider partnership. IMSAR designs, builds, and supports security and intelligence products including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology. IMSAR radar integrated onboard Altaeros ST-Flex autonomous aerostats provides unrivaled mission availability in all weather, day or night in ground and maritime environments.
- L3Harris TechnologiescoreEO/IR Camera Provider partnership. L3Harris WESCAM MX-Series multi-sensor electro-optical and infrared surveillance systems integrated with ST-Flex provide customers with high-performance gimbal capabilities deployable at 1,000ft AGL for persistent aerial surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
- Silvus TechnologiescoreRadio Communications Provider partnership. Silvus StreamCaster MANET radios powered by proprietary MN-MIMO waveform provide high-fidelity video, voice and data communications. Mounted on ST-Flex at 1,000ft AGL, delivers ultra-wide-area tactical MANET communications capable of permeating dense terrain.
- Trillium EngineeringcoreVision systems provider partnership. Trillium HD80 and HD95 EO/IR sensors deployed on ST-Flex at 1,000ft provide customers with real-time, actionable imagery data for ISR missions.
- CenCoresupportingSecure Computing at the Edge partnership. CenCore Containerized Secure Unit (CSU) is an open-platform C4 solution integrated directly with Altaeros aerostats for secure processing at the tactical edge supporting CJADC2 and Kill Web operations.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Altaeros Energies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TCOM: TCOM is the established U.S. manufacturer of tethered aerostats for military, border, and homeland-security missions — directly competing with Altaeros on payload, altitude, and persistence in the same DHS/DoD customer set.
- Raven Aerostar: Raven Aerostar designs and manufactures stratospheric aerostats and integrated ISR payloads for defense and commercial markets, competing head-to-head with Altaeros in tethered aerostat platforms.
- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI): IAI produces the EL/M-2080 and other tethered aerostat radar/surveillance systems for border and air-defense applications, competing with Altaeros in defense ISR aerostats.
Emerging players
- AeroVironment: AeroVironment designs and manufactures small tactical unmanned aircraft systems for DoD, competing for similar autonomous-aerial ISR and force-protection budgets with a different (small UAS) platform approach.
- Skydio: Skydio manufactures autonomous small UAS for defense, public safety, and inspection — adjacent in autonomous aerial platforms and competing for similar DoD/autonomous-system budgets.
- Saildrone: Saildrone builds autonomous uncrewed surface vessels for persistent maritime ISR — adjacent in autonomous persistent-surveillance business model and competing for similar DoD autonomous-sensor budgets.
- Anduril Industries: Anduril is an autonomous-defense technology company competing for similar DoD ISR and cUAS budgets with a different platform (drones/loitering munitions), but addresses overlapping autonomous-persistent-surveillance missions.
Broad incumbents
- Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin operates the Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) program and other persistent-ISR airborne platforms, holding incumbent program-of-record positions that Altaeros must displace.
- Elbit Systems: Elbit Systems offers aerostat-based persistent surveillance and EW platforms within a broader defense-electronics portfolio, serving the same DHS/DoD customer set as Altaeros.
- Textron Systems: Textron Systems develops and supports unmanned aircraft systems and aerosurface solutions for defense customers, competing for overlapping DoD autonomous-aerial procurement dollars.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Altaeros Energies social profiles
Digital presenceAltaeros Energies compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Altaeros Energies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Altaeros Energies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Altaeros Energies subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Altaeros Energies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds9 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Altaeros Energies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Altaeros Energies
What does Altaeros Energies do?
Altaeros designs, manufactures, and sells autonomous tethered aerostats (lighter-than-air aerial platforms) for government and commercial customers, with the Aerostat Autopilot proprietary control system enabling fully crewless launch, recovery, and flight operations. Product lines include the ST-Flex/ST-Flex+ (commercial and tactical), ST-Flex Guardian Class (military/government), ST-400 (large heavy-payload platform), and the legacy ST-200 SuperTower, plus payload integration, field support, and custom aerostat development services.
Is Altaeros Energies a public or private company?
Altaeros Energies is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Altaeros Energies founded?
Altaeros Energies was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Altaeros Energies based?
Altaeros Energies is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Altaeros Energies make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Aerostat Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are government Service Contracts, payload Integration Services and custom Aerostat Development.
Who are Altaeros Energies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TCOM, Raven Aerostar and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). Emerging players are AeroVironment, Skydio, Saildrone and Anduril Industries. Broad incumbents are Lockheed Martin, Elbit Systems and Textron Systems.
Does Altaeros Energies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Altaeros Energies.
What industry is Altaeros Energies in?
Altaeros Energies's product category is Autonomous Aerostat / Aerial Surveillance and Communications Platforms. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAIAC, VTOL & Hybrid UAV Platforms, with a secondary code of IMABAFAA, Flight Control Computers & Autopilot Systems. Its NAICS code is 336411 and its SIC code is 3728.